Day 303 - My Awesome Neighbor Jim

After the whole car crash incident last Friday night, I figured this was the perfect opportunity to move the mailboxes.  The existing post was crooked and unsightly when I bought the house almost 8 years ago so it was time.  My thought was to move the whole setup to the other side of my front yard by sinking a new wooden post into the ground, adding a longer wooden platform and remounting the mailboxes.  As soon as I starting talking about this, I could see the wheels in Jim's head turning. He said that he had enough scrap wood in his shop that he could create something and suggested we just attach it to the street sign I made the city install several years ago indicating my neighbors addresses.

When I got up and saw that it was raining, I figured we get it done tomorrow but as I headed out to try and weed, here comes Jim across the street with his tools.  He was so obsessed with everything being straight and level but I assured him that wasn't necessary as nearly everything about my 1930's house is crooked.  By this afternoon, it was done.  Now if I could just get the previous metal post out of my driveway.  I've been digging for quite some time and still can't get it out.  Tried to convince the UPS guy to back into it a couple of times but he wanted nothing to do with that.  Just a bit more scraping, digging and pulling. . .

New setup just needs a coat of paint and a planter of flowers
underneath.  I should really clean my box (dirty one on the end).

what's left of the old metal base and the wood support once attached to my mailbox

I was certain I was home free after breaking up asphalt and digging down about
16-18 in. until I uncovered pipe coming off in 2 directions at the bottom of the metal pole

Day 302 - Love in the Garden

I was going to title this post "Sex in the Garden" but decided that might draw the wrong followers to my blog.  As I was weeding out front today I spied two ladybugs in the act.  OK, I know what you're thinking. . .seriously, watching ladybugs have sex. It was pretty fascinating actually.  The male was shaking his butt like crazy and every time I circled back expecting to find them gone, they were still there, still at it. According to www.ladybuglady.com, they can stay together like this for up to 2 hours!  Then the female can carry around the sperm for 2-3 months before laying eggs.  I had no intention of disturbing this couple because ladybugs are one bug you WANT to have in your garden because they eat aphids, scale insects and plant mites.

Day 301 - Marathon Day (not Marathon Man) at the Dentist

Today I spent approximately 4.5 hours at the dentist having a number of things done.  The work was significant enough that I was required to take a sedative 45 minutes prior to my appointment and I was forbidden from driving to and from the appointment.  Thank goodness for my terrific neighbors, Jim and Donna.  Jim gladly drove me to the appointment and they both picked me up.  Halfway through the appointment I asked them to remove the nitrous oxide as it was more uncomfortable than helpful.  They suggested I take another sedative which I didn't really think I needed.  After two of these pills I was still pretty much aware of everything that was going on (not really in pain, mind you).  I warned them that I had a very high tolerance to medication - I'm wondering how the heck these pills would help anybody sleep.

This was the state I was hoping to be in. . .

One of the worst things was not being able to eat or drink for 8 hours prior to the appointment.  Needless to say, when I got out of there I was starving but not up for eating anything that required a great deal of chewing.

My lunch

 After a couple of Advil and a long nap on the couch, I awoke with a mild headache and realized I'd had no caffeine all day.  Coffee didn't seem very appealing at 5:15 so I opted for a cup of tea.

Day 300 - File Cleanup

At the end of every school year, I bring home files to go through, purge, reorganize. . .and when August rolls around, typically, I haven't even looked at them.  Not this year!  Last week, I spent Friday back in my classroom cleaning out tons of old papers.  Today's task is to get my electronic files organized.  All the files from my U-drive at school (as well as some random files saved onto my desktop) were copied as I flew out the door on June 22nd!  They will be organized and trimmed down and my goal for the next school year is to have a system for saving and organizing that I use every day.

Whatever I'm doing, Grady's always there willing to help.

Day 299 - Weedin', Readin' and Tennis Ball Cleanin'

At the end of the year I got so depressed every time I looked at how the weeds had taken over my yard.  If left to my own devices I would have chosen weeding over grading any day but that just didn't seem responsible.  I've been trying to make up for a month of neglect so I decided to break up all that weeding with some reading. . .something else I never seem to have time to do during the school year.

The day began with me slicing my finger open with my pruning shears.

You can clearly see the bed in the background hasn't been touched yet.

A good read from one of my favorite Boston authors.

I also decided to take advantage of a warm sunny day by washing the tennis balls from my classroom (used on the bottom of chair and table legs to soften the noise generated by junior high kids).

Before they get washed. . .

Best way to dry them - in the sun on the deck.

It should be noted that I may be one of the few dog owners who has no trouble keeping her dog away from these but the cats, now that's a different story.

Day 298 - Volunteer Park Conservatory

There are loads of places you can visit for free in Seattle but this one has always been right up at the top of my list.  I was headed to Capitol Hill for a haircut so I left home a bit early in order to get here before closing time.  Even on a cloudy day, this place never ceases to lift my spirits.

Day 297 - Crash

Headed into school today to wrap up a few things I just walked away from on Wednesday.  Feeling more organized, I came home and settled into a quiet evening.  I shut off the lights about 11 PM and was just about asleep when I heard an odd bang - louder than a car door slamming but nothing really dramatic.  Next thing I know I can hear a very loud diesel engine running on the street out front.  I knew it was the sound of a fire engine so I thought I'd better take a look.

When I opened the front door, there were firefighters and police on the street right in front of my house and there was a car hanging over one corner of the retaining wall at the edge of my property.  I recognized the car as one belonging to a friend of the high school kid who lives next door.  As I walked to the end of the driveway, I could see that his car had been hit and pushed by another car driven by a woman who appeared intoxicated.  Not sure how fast she was going but the airbags in her car had deployed and the collision also bent the metal post at the end of my driveway sending three mailboxes flying.

She was taken away in handcuffs, her car was towed, the kid's father and my neighbor used a truck/chain to pull the car back onto the parking area and we all cleaned up the debris that we could find.  On a positive note, I've wanted to get a new post setup for the mailboxes for some time. . .now, maybe my homeowners insurance will pay for it!

The back tire of Zach's car came within inches of sliding over the edge of my wall.

Hooking up a chain and getting ready to pull the car back up onto solid ground.

In the light of day on Saturday, you can clearly see from the tire track just how close his car came to going over the wall.

Not sure what my mail carrier will think of this setup.n

Day 296 - Let the Vacation Begin

My first day off was filled with relaxing and more relaxing.  I tried to sleep in, pretty unsuccessfully.  Got started on my summer reading.  The cats spent a good part of the day napping.  I joined them at one point.  Here's Finnegan on the back of the couch in what has to be some sort of yoga pose.

How is this comfortable?

He really is a beautiful cat. . .if he just wasn't such a pain in the ass.

Apparently I disturbed him - this is CLEARLY more comfortable.

Day 295 - It's Over!

Thanks to our snow days this winter, today was the last day of school, three days AFTER our original last day.  The kids who actually came to school really just wanted to chill during the little time they had in your class.  Here's what my 3rd and 4th period kids wanted to do.

3rd Period wanted to play Heads Up, Seven Up

4th Period wanted to play hackey sack (they had to make one out of balled up paper and tape)

For the adults, it was a different story.  Today was the day we got to let loose and as you can clearly see, we were VERY READY to be done!

Love that Sambrano is still part of the IJH team

Jeni Nelson - once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader

Dancing, drinking and drink cup flipping